The mayor of Merritt says she would love for local students to present again at council to ask for a rainbow crosswalk on a city street.

City council rejected a proposal from high school students for one in March of 2018 by a narrow 4-3 vote, which drew ire from around B.C.

Linda Brown, while she was still a councillor, voted for it at the time.

And she applauded those students for inspiring two new rainbow crosswalks that have now been installed at the hospital.

“If these, not just children, but if the community that needs to be felt like they’re inclusive, if to them it gives them a sense of security or welcoming, then I applaud that,” Brown says.

“I have been thinking over the last few months of going to the school district, and saying ‘come back at us again,’ and ask for another sidewalk and see if this decision is going to be different than the last one. It’s just we haven’t had a CAO, we’ve been rather busy and I have neglected to do that. But that has certainly brought it to the forefront of my mind again: try that once more.”

Brown says she thinks a vote now from council for a crosswalk may end up a different result than last spring.

Five of the seven members of Merritt’s mayor and council are new as of the October 2018 municipal election.